Tuesday, 21 April 2015

I’m going to write about what was probably the most exciting three days of my entire life. I was only about seven, though, so forgive me if I can’t remember every single detail.
We were on a trip to Indonesia to see my cousins because after weeks of begging from my sister and I my parents had finally relented. To add to our excitement, my parents were also taking us to the jungle with our cousins and grandma! Imagine our excitement when we heard this wonderful news.
Anyways, there we were, bubbling with excitement when it was finally that exciting day. The journey to the jungle wasn’t the most enjoyable, but I was too excited to care. As we were in quite a rural place, we had to sit in a truck, and half of us had to sit where they normally put bags, so they didn’t have any seat belts or even seats!
When we got over to the jungle, we first ate in a small sort-of restaurant, before meeting our guide. There was also a family with ten cats there, and they asked for a photo with us because they never got visitors from foreign countries. I felt like a celebrity!
Finally, we began our adventure into a magical world of beautiful and deadly plants and animals. As there weren’t any paths or signs, we needed to stay close to our guide on the way to our hut. On the way, I began to feel a bit dizzy from the heat and dehydration. Luckily, my parents noticed and quickly got me water before I fainted. After that I was fine and able to enjoy the experience again.
Soon, we made it over to the hut with much difficulty. Glancing over at the hut, I was shocked to see it was nothing more than a dirt floor with a wooden roof and a higher sleeping level. To add to my surprise, the only way to get over to the toilet was to cross over a small stream, using some sticks as a bridge! However, I was soon excited again when I saw there was a fishing net and some shrimp in the stream.
Immediately, I asked if we could start exploring, but my parents said we had to go to sleep and that we could wake up early the next morning. Grumpily, I agreed, but only because it would give me time to try to catch shrimp, and maybe have a swim in the stream. Sadly, I completely failed at catching shrimp, and my cousin couldn’t catch any either. Determined to catch at least one, we asked our guide to show us how. We were shocked to see him fill up most of the net with just one try. Quickly, we asked our parents if we could cook and eat them like real explorers, but they said we weren’t allowed.

The next morning, I was woken up early by all the animals in the jungle forming one great big alarm together. Grouchily I got out of my sleeping bag and got dressed. Breakfast was some sort of noodles with vegetables, but it had onions, which I absolutely hate, so I ate barely any of it.
Finally we were ready to go exploring. Even as we barely stepped out of the hut I greeted by colourful birds, a bat and I tried a banana off a banana tree. Further on, I spotted a massive poisonous centipede, a gibbon swinging in the trees and a sleeping poisonous snake which I nearly stepped on. All the while, I felt an amazing thrill of adventure. After a while, we came to the top of the jungle, and were met with an amazing view of everything below us.

By then, it was getting quite late, so we began to trek our way back down to the hut. Before bed, we walked around the hut one more time to check for animals, and were lucky enough to spot a chameleon! We watched as it changed from green to brown as it moved around. That night everyone was surprised to a leech somewhere on their body. Luckily, for some reason I didn’t get a leech on me.

The next day it was time to leave this magical world behind, so I got up early to see a few more animals first. Happily, I was able to spot some red leaf monkeys, gibbons, an orangutan nest and a gigantic purple centipede. We also had a swim in the stream on the way back and played in a waterfall. Sadly, we had to leave then, so that was the end of my magical and exciting adventure into the jungle.